Walks in the Night
by TastyWalnut
Summary: A story of Iruka and Anko. Iruka is out for a walk in the night, but on his way home what does he find? Anko, lying on the ground and unresponsive?


Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars.

Uh... I meant Naruto. Yeah, that's right. Don't own Naruto.

A/N: Well, I wasn't feeling very inspired until this idea came to me. Yay! This story will be several chapters long at least (I hope). Please review as always.

Walks in the Night

It was a beautiful night that was bright with the light of the full moon shining down from above. Iruka Umino was out for his nightly walk. It provided a welcome time to be alone with his thoughts and to get away from all of his students at the academy. It wasn't that they were so horrible, though some, Konohamaru and his gang especially, could get rowdy at times. Sometimes Iruka just needed some time alone to be with God, so he took these walks. Every night he would pass through the village and enter the forests surrounding Konoha where he would listen to the breeze that rustled the leaves and the insect's chirping and pray.

He reflected on the events of his day. It was pretty rough. Konohamaru had decided that he would make Iruka's day hell on earth. First, Iruka had had a nice surprise in his coffee mug - seven worms. Then, when Iruka had left the classroom for a moment, the little prankster had balanced a water balloon on top of the partially open door so that when Iruka opened the door to come back in, it fell on him, completely soaking him. The list went on and on. "God, please give me the patience to deal with my students," he sighed, entering the village on his way back home. He would have to do something about Konohamaru. Luckily, tomorrow marked the beginning of the weekend.

Iruka passed through the empty streets toward his house. "Oi," a slurred feminine voice called. Okay, not so empty. Iruka turned to his left to see a woman lurching toward him. "Oi, Tanaka, wait up!" she slurred once more before collapsing a few feet from him. Confused, Iruka looked up and down the street expecting to see this "Tanaka." There was no one. Quickly turning back to the collapsed form at his feet, he knelt down to check her pulse. It was steady which meant that she was probably just really drunk, judging by her slurred words and staggering gait. "Ano," Iruka thought to himself, "I shouldn't leave her here in the middle of the road at a time like this." He took a closer look at her face. She was an attractive woman with deep violet hair tied back in a ponytail and long locks framing her face. She wore a tan overcoat with some type of mesh underneath. A shinobi if her headband was any indication. He didn't recognize her. He tried to wake her up with a gentle shake, but she was out cold. Being the gentleman he was and not knowing where she lived or any of her friends who could care for her, he did the only thing he could think of.

Iruka picked her up bridal style, one arm under her legs and the other supporting her back, and carried her to his house. He had a bit of trouble opening his door with her in his arms, but he managed. Iruka took her into his small but cozy house and laid her on his bed. Tucked under the covers, she looked peaceful to Iruka. He watched her for a moment before grabbing a blanket and retiring on the couch in his living room.

Anko woke up to the worst headache she had ever had. Scratch that; it was the second worst headache she'd ever had. The one after she had... Yeah, she wasn't going to think about that ever again. "Dang," she whispered. It hurt just to turn her head to the side. Maybe just a few more minutes in bed.

There, that was better, maybe. Okay, it wasn't, but it was time she got up. Sunlight streamed through her window as she rolled back her covers and sat up. "Argh," Anko groaned as pain shot through her head at the sudden movement. Briefly, she wondered why she was wearing the same clothes as the day before. "Ah, who cares?" she said, putting the problem out of her mind. She slid out of bed and walked toward the door to her bedroom, not really taking in her surroundings. The smell of yakisoba(1) wafted by her as she walked into her kitchen. There was someone there! She shook herself out of her stupor and expertly drew a Kunai knife from its pouch on her thigh. "Who're you and what're you doing in my house?" she growled menacingly from behind his turned back, Kunai poised at his neck.

"You mean, what are you doing in my house," said the unfamiliar man said cheerfully, ignoring the first part of her question entirely.

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"Look around you," he answered. "It's my house."

Anko quickly glanced about the kitchen. He was right; it wasn't her house. But that only increased her suspicion. "Okay, I'll give you that, but I still don't know who you are."

"Nor I you. But I'll start the introductions anyway if you'll just take that Kunai away from my neck," he said, still cheerful, unconcerned.

Anko said nothing, but brought the knife down to her side, not putting it away.

"There, that's better," he said, turning around. "My name's Iruka Umino, a chuunin-rank instructor at the Academy. Now for yours," he said smiling in a friendly manner.

"Anko Mitarashi, jonin-rank shinobi" she said, relaxing quite a bit. "Why am I here?"

"Well," Iruka said, turning back to his noodles, "You weren't looking so well last night out there on the street all by yourself, so I decided to help you out a bit."

"What?" Anko tried to remember what she had been doing last night, but to her frustration, she couldn't.

"You might have drunk just a bit too much," he prompted her.

The lightbulb that came on over her head was so bright that Iruka almost had to cover his eyes. "Ahh, yes. I might have had a bit to drink if my headache is any indication," she sighed, looking a little ashamed. "Usually, I can hold my liquor."

"I find that a talk with God soothes the mind more than drowning in alcohol," said Iruka, cheerful voice gone serious.

"A Christian, huh. I don't believe in that stuff It's never worked for me," scoffed Anko, still standing behind him, the Kunai knife in her hand forgotten.

"What didn't work for you?" he asked.

"Prayer. God has never answered my prayers," Anko mused, bitterly it seemed to Iruka.

"Do you believe that He has the power to answer prayers?" Iruka asked.

Anko thought about it for a minute. "No," she said quietly.

"Well then, there's your problem," Iruka said, smiling again.

An awkward silence fell over them. Anko took the lull in conversation to take a look at the man. When he had turned around, she had noticed a scar that ran over the bridge of his nose. He had kind black eyes and a smile that matched them with brown hair tied back in a ponytail not unlike hers, though it was distinctly more masculine. He wore the standard Konoha uniform, a green vest with a navy shirt underneath and matching pants. All in all, a rather handsome man, thought Anko to herself. The silence prevailed until Iruka finished fixing the yakisoba. He turned with two bowls of noodles on his hands and, upon finding her still standing, said, "Oh! I'm sorry. I didn't realize that you were still standing. Please, take a seat." She sat down at the kitchen table, and he handed her a bowl. After he sat down, he said a quick grace and Anko respectfully bowed her head with him. They ate the noodles that he had made, and she found them quite good actually. Guess you become a fairly good cook if you have to make your own food all the time.

"I haven't yet thanked you for picking me up last night," she said a little hesitantly.

"Don't mention it," said Iruka. "It was the least I could do."

"Do you do stuff like this a lot?" asked Anko, genuinely curious.

Iruka laughed, and it made her feel foolish for a reason beyond her understanding. "Not at all. In fact, it was my first time to do anything remotely like this."

"Oh"

Iruka found himself feeling just a bit uncomfortable. "So, do you mind telling me why you drank so much last night?"

"Yes," Anko said curtly.

"Ah," Iruka stuttered awkwardly. "That's fine."

They finished their meal in silence. Anko stood up and brought her bowl to the sink. "Thanks again, Iruka. I really owe you one."

Iruka grinned. "It was my pleasure. Next time, take care of yourself a little better." He stood up as well and followed her to the front door.

Anko smiled for the first time since waking up. "Don't worry about me, Iruka. I can take care of myself. They didn't make me a jonin for nothing." And on that parting note, she opened the door and left.

A/N: Okay, well... It was a little forced I thought, but it will get better from here on out (hopefully). Sorry if you don't like the Christianity in it. :) I felt like it needed it. Anyway, this was just on a whim, but I like Iruka and there aren't many stories about him (compared to other characters). Hope you liked it, and I'll try to be updating once every two weeks at least. Remember to review (I don't mind criticism). Till next time, and may the force be with you.


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